Quantum well excitons in an electric field: two versus three dimensional behavior

Previous calculations have shown a transition between two dimensional and three dimensional behavior of excitons confined in a semiconducting quantum well structure as a function of electric field. We here present calculations of the exciton binding energy as a function of electric field using a two parameter variational wave function of the form used in the absence of the electric field by Matsuura and Shinozuka. Our calculations were performed using a finite potential barrier model for the confinement of the exciton in the quantum well. The results of our calculations confirm the validity of the conclusion that the variational exciton wave function goes from being of a purely 2D hydrogenic type at small well widths and/or low electric fields to a 3D hydrogenic type in wide wells and/or high electric fields.